U.S. patent application number 10/883645 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-24 for method, system and web service for delivering digital content to a user.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nokia Corporation. Invention is credited to Chande, Suresh, Laitkorpi, Markku, Venkata, Murali-Krishna Punaganti.
Application Number | 20050044082 10/883645 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33548795 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050044082 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chande, Suresh ; et
al. |
February 24, 2005 |
Method, system and web service for delivering digital content to a
user
Abstract
The present invention relates to delivery of digital content of
a content provider 110 to a user 160. The invention is based on the
idea to utilize user presence information of a user in the delivery
mechanism of digital content to the user. The operation of
delivering digital content is separated in two co-operating
services, a content service of a content provider 110 and a
delivery service of a delivery provider 120. The content service
utilizes the delivery service for accomplishing delivery of the
digital content to a specific receiving user. Either the request to
the delivery service to deliver the digital content, or the attempt
by the delivery service to deliver the content, is made in
dependence on user presence information indicating the availability
of the user for receiving the digital content.
Inventors: |
Chande, Suresh; (Vantaa,
FI) ; Laitkorpi, Markku; (Tampere, FI) ;
Venkata, Murali-Krishna Punaganti; (Vantaa, FI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WARE FRESSOLA VAN DER SLUYS &
ADOLPHSON, LLP
BRADFORD GREEN BUILDING 5
755 MAIN STREET, P O BOX 224
MONROE
CT
06468
US
|
Assignee: |
Nokia Corporation
|
Family ID: |
33548795 |
Appl. No.: |
10/883645 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ; 707/999.01;
707/E17.009; 707/E17.109 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 67/24 20130101;
G06F 16/9535 20190101; G06F 16/437 20190101; H04L 67/306
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/010 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 30, 2003 |
WO |
PCT/IB03/02521 |
Claims
1. A method for delivering digital content of a content provider to
a user, including the steps of: receiving, at the content provider,
a request to deliver specific digital content to the user; based on
the receiving step, from a content service of the content provider,
requesting a delivery service of a delivery provider to deliver the
digital content to the user; and based on the requesting step,
delivering the digital content to the user from the delivery
service, wherein either the requesting step or the delivering step
is performed when user presence information relating to the user
indicates that the user is available for receiving the digital
content.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user presence
information is acquired by the content service, before requesting
the delivery service to deliver the digital content, by performing
the steps of: requesting user presence information of the user from
a user presence service; and receiving user presence information of
the user in response thereto.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of the
content service to request user presence information of the user
from the user presence service is preceded by the step of: waiting
until the content to be delivered is available.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user presence
information is acquired by the delivery service, after receiving
the request for delivery from the content service, by performing
the steps of: requesting user presence information of the user from
a user presence service; and receiving user presence information of
the user in response thereto.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of the
delivery service to request user presence information of the user
from the user presence service is preceded by the step of: waiting
for a time of delivery as specified in the request received by the
content provider to deliver the digital content to the user.
6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of requesting
the presence information of the user includes: requesting a
subscription for the user presence information of the user at the
user presence service.
7. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of requesting
user presence information of the user from the user presence
service is preceded by the steps of: requesting a user
profile/preference service for the delivery preferences of the
user; and receiving the delivery preferences of the user in
response thereto, wherein the step of requesting presence
information of the user is made in dependence on the received
delivery preferences of the user.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the delivery
preferences of the user include a preferred time of delivery or a
preferred communication path for the delivery.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the content provider,
in response to the received request to deliver the digital content,
before requesting the delivery service to deliver the digital
content, performs the step of: charging a party that requested the
delivery of the digital content for the services requested.
10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the content provider,
in response to a notification from the delivery service that the
digital content has been delivered to the user, performs the step
of: charging a party that requested the delivery of the digital
content for the services performed.
11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user presence
information relates to the user's presence in a radio
communications network by way of a connected mobile communication
terminal.
12. A web service for delivering digital content of a content
provider to a user and designed to perform the steps recited in
claim 1.
13. A system for delivering digital content of a content provider
to a user, the system including a content provider server with a
content service and a delivery provider server with a delivery
service, wherein: the content provider server is configured for
receiving a request to deliver specific digital content to the
user; the content service is configured for requesting the delivery
service to deliver the digital content to the user; and the
delivery service is configured for delivering the digital content
to the user, wherein either the requesting of the content service
or the delivering of the delivery service is performed when user
presence information indicates that the user is available for
receiving the digital content.
14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the content service
is configured to acquire user presence information before
requesting the delivery service to deliver the digital content, by
being configured for: requesting user presence information of the
user from a user presence service; and receiving user presence
information of the user in response thereto.
15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the content service,
before requesting user presence information of the user from the
user presence service, is configured for: waiting until the content
to be delivered is available.
16. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the delivery service
is configured to acquire user presence information after receiving
the request for delivery from the content service, by being
configured for: requesting user presence information of the user
from a presence service; and receiving user presence information of
the user in response thereto.
17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the delivery
service, before requesting user presence information of the user
from the user presence service, is configured for: waiting for a
time of delivery as specified in the request received by the
content provider to deliver the digital content to the user.
18. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the requesting of
user presence information of the user includes: requesting a
subscription for the user presence information of the user at the
user presence service.
19. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the content service
or the delivery service, before requesting user presence
information of the user from the user presence service, is
configured for: requesting a user profile/preference service for
the delivery preferences of the user; and receiving the delivery
preferences of the user in response thereto, wherein the requesting
of user presence information of the user is made in dependence on
the received delivery preferences of the user.
20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the delivery
preferences of the user include a preferred time of delivery or a
preferred communication path for the delivery.
21. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein content provider
server, in response to the received request to deliver the digital
content, before requesting the delivery service to deliver the
digital content, is configured for: charging a party that requested
the delivery of the digital content for the services requested.
22. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein content provider
server, in response to a notification from the delivery service
that the digital content has been delivered to the user, is
configured for: charging a party that requested the delivery of the
digital content for the services performed.
23. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the user presence
information relates to the user's presence in a radio
communications network by way of a connected mobile communication
terminal.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method, system and web
service for delivering digital content of a content provider to a
user.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
[0002] In digital communications it is desirable to be able to
deliver digital content to users connected to a digital
communications infrastructure. A requirement in succeeding with the
transmission of digital content to the user is that the user is
connected to the specific communications infrastructure, i.e. that
he is "on-line". A request to deliver digital content to a user may
come from the user himself, another user or from a third party
service/server.
[0003] For example, within mobile telephony, it is becoming more
and more popular to download personalized ringing tones to the
mobile phones. Furthermore, a mobile user may want to provide a
mobile phone of another user with a ringing tone or a music
composition to be played once, for example a holiday greeting or a
birthday or anniversary congratulation, or simply just for the fun
of it. It is envisaged that also pictures or other kinds of digital
content, such as various applications, soon will become as popular
as ringing tones for download to mobile phones.
[0004] It is to be noted that the present invention by no means is
restricted to the download or delivery of ringing tones and
pictures to mobile phones, but that the invention relates to the
delivery of any web content that is suitable for reception by a
user with his choice of stationary or wireless terminal, and that
the reception by means of a mobile phone merely is an exemplifying,
interesting application of the present invention.
[0005] Today, when a content provider is to deliver digital content
to a user, the content is typically sent immediately. The success
of such delivery is dependent upon the timing of the delivery, i.e.
that the user is available at the time, and upon the fact that the
receiving user is willing to receive the content at that time. If
the content provider does not receive an acknowledgement that the
user has received the content, the content will have to be resent.
This re-sending of the content may possibly have to be performed a
number of times until an acknowledgement is received from the
receiving user.
[0006] Thus, a problem with delivering digital content to a user is
that a user may not be available, or willing, to receive the
content at the time of the delivery attempt. As a consequence, the
further problem arises that hardware and bandwidth resources often
need to be repeatedly used for eventually accomplishing the
delivery of the content to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An object of the present invention is to improve the
performance of delivery of digital content to users normally able
to receive such content.
[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, this
object is achieved by a method for delivering digital content of a
content provider to a user including the steps of receiving, at the
content provider, a request to deliver specific digital content to
the user; based on the receiving step, from a content service of
the content provider, requesting a delivery service of a delivery
provider to deliver the digital content to the user; and based on
the requesting step, delivering the digital content to the user
from the delivery service, wherein either the requesting step or
the delivering step is performed when user presence information
relating to the user indicates that the user is available for
receiving the digital content.
[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a
system for delivering digital content of a content provider to a
user, the system including a content provider server with a content
service and a delivery provider server with a delivery service,
wherein: the content provider server is configured for receiving a
request to deliver specific digital content to the user; the
content service is configured for requesting the delivery service
to deliver the digital content to the user; and the delivery
service is configured for delivering the digital content to the
user, wherein either the requesting of the content service or the
delivering of the delivery service is performed when user presence
information indicates that the user is available for receiving the
digital content.
[0010] The present invention is based on the idea to utilize user
presence information of a user in the delivery mechanism of digital
content to the user.
[0011] The invention is further based on the idea that the
operation of delivering digital content to a user is separated in
two co-operating services, a content service of a content provider
and a delivery service of a delivery provider. The content service
utilizes the delivery service for accomplishing delivery of the
digital content to a specific receiving user. Either the request to
the delivery service to deliver the digital content, or the attempt
by the delivery service to deliver the content, is made in
dependence on user presence information indicating the availability
of the user for receiving the digital content.
[0012] This provides the advantage of being able to initiate
delivery when the intended receiving user in fact is ready to
receive the digital content, i.e. when he is connected to a
communications infrastructure and is "on-line". The probability of
a successful delivery to the user is greatly increased. With
knowledge of presence information of the user there will be no risk
of attempting to transmit the digital content to the user when he
is unable to receive it, and there will thus be no need for having
to perform repeated delivery attempts. In this way, hardware and
bandwidth resources associated with delivery of digital content
will not be used unnecessarily, but only to actually deliver the
digital content. Thus, the hardware implementing the delivery
service, such as the central processing unit used for executing
such service, and the bandwidth required for transmission of the
digital content, will be used more economically.
[0013] Moreover, the separation of the operation to provide a user
with digital content into a content service and a delivery service
is advantageous since it introduces a high modularity and
flexibility. It allows two different service brokers to be defined
and to co-operate in accordance with certain set of rules that can
be agreed upon. In this way a service broker may specialize and
optimize either a content service or a delivery service in a
similar way as parties specialize in and optimize such services
outside of the digital world.
[0014] Basically, there can be two approaches for using user
presence information in accordance with the invention.
[0015] According to one embodiment, user presence information is
acquired by the content service before requesting the delivery
service to deliver the digital content. In this way the content
service will know that the user is available before requesting the
delivery of the content.
[0016] According to another embodiment, user presence information
is acquired by the delivery service after receiving the request for
delivery of the content from the content service. In this way the
delivery service will know that the user is available before
attempting to actually deliver the content. Preferably, the
delivery service waits for a time of delivery to occur before
acquiring the user presence information. This time of delivery can
either be a point of time specified in the original request to
deliver the content to the user, or, as explained below, a point of
time preferred by the receiving user.
[0017] Advantageously, before requesting user presence information
of the user from a user presence service, a user profile/preference
service is utilized for requesting the delivery preferences of the
user, after which the requesting of user presence information of
the user is made in dependence on the received delivery preferences
of the user. This enables the acquirement of e.g. a user's
preferred time of delivery of the digital content. It can also
enable the acquirement of the user's preferred communication
infrastructure. Thus, it allows the content service to request
delivery of, or the delivery service to deliver, the digital
content to the user at the user's preferred point of time and/or
over the user's preferred communication path. Thus, the user will
be provided with a more personalized delivery of the digital
content.
[0018] The content provider either charges a party for a requested
digital content delivery before requesting the delivery service to
deliver the content, or for a performed delivery of the content
after such delivery has been confirmed to the content provider by
the delivery service. The concept of charging includes any state of
the art method for accomplishing this, including any method based
on the usage of credit points.
[0019] Thus, using the invention a content provider is able to
provide a web service for delivery of digital content to various
users and to charge a party requesting such delivery for the
delivery and for the digital content itself.
[0020] The above mentioned and further features of, and advantages
with, the present invention, will be more fully understood from the
following description of a number of exemplifying embodiments of
the invention. As is understood, various modifications, alterations
and different combinations of features coming within the spirit and
scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the
art when studying the general teaching set forth herein and the
following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] Exemplifying embodiments of the present invention will now
be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0022] FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplified system and its
overall operation in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a sequence diagram with the schematic
interactions between the elements in the system of FIG. 1 in
accordance with an exemplifying embodiment of the invention;
[0024] FIG. 3 shows another sequence diagram with the schematic
interactions between the elements in the system of FIG. 1 in
accordance with another exemplifying embodiment of the invention;
and
[0025] FIG. 4 shows yet another sequence diagram with the schematic
interactions between the elements in the system of FIG. 1 in
accordance with another exemplifying embodiment of the
invention;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] With reference to FIG. 1 an exemplifying embodiment of the
invention will now be described. FIG. 1 shows a system for
delivering digital content of a content provider to a user. The
system includes a Content Provider Server 110 executing a content
service, a Delivery Provider Server 120 executing a delivery
service, a User Presence Service Server 130 and a User
Profile/Preference Service Server 140, all of which servers are
connected to the Internet 100. All of these servers are implemented
with state of the art hardware known to the skilled person.
[0027] The operation of the content service of the Content Provider
Server 110 and the delivery service of the Delivery Provider Server
120 is such that they in combination, and by utilizing the services
provided by the User Presence Service Server 130 and the User
Profile/Preference Service Server 140, provide a web service for
delivering digital content of the Content Provider Server 110 to a
user in accordance with the present invention. Thus, the Content
Provider Server 110 and the Delivery Service Server 120 execute
respective computer instructions that control the servers and their
provided services to operate in accordance with the invention. This
operation will later be described below. Even though the Content
Provider Server 130 and the Delivery Provider Server 120 are
depicted as different entities in FIG. 1, the skilled person will
realize that these servers in fact can be implemented with one and
the same hardware, while still separating the content service and
the delivery service.
[0028] The User Presence Service Server 130 is a state of the art
server providing state of the art services. Thus, its basic
operation and functioning should be well known to the skilled
person. Typically, the User Presence Service Server 130 manages
user presence information relating to different users. This
includes receiving updates regarding the presence information of
specific users, servicing requests for presence information
relating to specific users and servicing subscriptions to receive
presence information relating to specific users. By subscribing to
user presence information for a specific user, a subscribing
application is notified by the service when there is a change of
the presence information for that user, e.g. if the user goes
"on-line" or "off-line".
[0029] Advantageously the User Presence Service Server 130 is
implemented as a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) server, i.e. a
server using the SIP protocol for signaling communication. The SIP
protocol and the possibilities it provides are known to the skilled
person. Of course, a SIP presence server 130 implies that the
services/applications and terminals utilizing the services provided
by the SIP presence server 130 will include SIP clients able to
perform signaling communication by means of the SIP protocol.
[0030] The User Profile/Preference Service Server 140 manages the
profiles/preferences for respective users. A user may store his
profile/preference at the server for later retrieval by an
application or another user. The profile/preference may include
various kind of information, e.g. the user's preferred network,
available bandwidth, terminal type/class etc.
[0031] FIG. 1 also includes a first user 150 and a second user 160.
Both first and second user have means for connecting to the
Internet, e.g. a wireless terminal 151, 161 or a stationary
computer 152, 162. Typically the users connect to the Internet via
some kind of intermediate network 153, 163. If the user has a
wireless terminal, such as a mobile telephone or a PDA (Personal
Digital Assistant) or laptop with associated radio transceiver
circuitry, the intermediate network is a radio communications
network, e.g. a GSM-network (Global System for Mobile
communications). If the user uses a stationary computer the
intermediate network can be the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone
Network) or some other fixed network.
[0032] Still referring to FIG. 1, various exemplifying modes of
operation in accordance with embodiments of the invention will now
be described. In these exemplifying embodiments it is the first
user that requests delivery of digital content to the second user.
It is to be noted that even though a first user 150 is depicted in
FIG. 1 as the one requesting the delivery of the digital content,
this request may be received by the Content Provider Server 110
from any party wishing to deliver digital content to the second
user 160. Thus, such a request may also originate from an
application on another server or from the receiving user himself,
i.e. from the second user 160.
[0033] The operation starts with an event such that the Content
Provider Server 110 receives (1) a request from the first user 150
to deliver a specific digital content to a specific user, in this
case to the second user 160. The content service of the Content
Provider Server 110 then requests (2) the preferences of the second
user 160 from the User Profile/Preference Service Server 140. In
response thereto, the content service will receive (3) the second
user's 160 profile/preferences, for example a preferred time of
reception.
[0034] The content service will then in dependence on the response
(3) received on account of the profile/preferences request (2),
request (4) user presence information of the second user 160 from
the User Presence Service Server 130. For example, if the received
profile/preferences included a preferred time of reception for the
user 160, the content service will wait for that point of time to
occur before requesting (4) the user presence information. However,
this waiting could also be a consequence of the fact that the
initial request received by the content service to deliver a
specific digital content included an indication from the requesting
party of a certain time of delivery for the digital content. If the
User Presence Service Server 130 responds (5) with information that
the user 160 is not available, the content service 110 can request
a subscription for user presence information relating to user 160,
and eventually the user presence service 130 will then notify (5)
the content service 110 that the second user 160 is available, or
"on-line".
[0035] When the content service 110 is informed that the second
user 160 to which the digital content is to be transmitted is
available, it requests (6) a delivery service on the Delivery
Provider Server 120 to deliver the digital content to the second
user 160. In response thereto the delivery service delivers (7) the
digital content to the second user 160.
[0036] If the second user is configured to acknowledge (8)
reception of the digital content back to the delivery service, the
delivery service may notify (9) the content service of the
successful delivery. The content service may then charge (10) the
party that initially requested delivery of the digital content for
the services performed. Alternatively, this step of charging the
requesting party could be performed in advance of the performance
of the service and based on what services that are requested by
this party.
[0037] The steps (2)-(5) are indicated with dashed arrows since
they, as an alternative to being initiated by the content service,
instead may be initiated by the delivery service. Thus, when
initiated by the delivery service it is the steps (61)-(64), also
indicated with dashed arrows, that are present in the operation
rather than the steps (2)-(5). In either case, the User
Profile/Preference Service Server will be requested, step (2) or
(61), for the profile/preference of the user and then respond, step
(3) or (62), with that profile/preference. Based on the received
profile/preference, the User Presence Service/Server will be
requested, step (4) or (63) for user presence information and
respond, step (5) or (64), with such information.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows the interaction between the elements in the
network of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the
invention. With reference to the signaling flow shown in FIG. 2,
the process involving the elements of FIG. 1 is as follows (wherein
the numbering differs from that used in FIG. 1):
[0039] 1. The Content Provider Server has been requested to
transfer some specific digital content to a specific user at a
certain time of delivery. The content service requests a delivery
service to deliver the specific digital content (identified by the
parameter Content) to the specific user (identified by the
parameter userId) at the requested time of delivery (identified by
the parameter TimeOfDelivery).
[0040] 2. Upon receiving the request the delivery service waits
until present time corresponds to the requested time of
delivery.
[0041] 3. When it is time to deliver the digital content, or
possibly slightly in advance, the delivery service requests the
user's profile/preference by transmitting a message
getUserDeliveryPref( ) to the user profile/preference service.
[0042] 4. In response to the profile/preference request, the user
profile/preference service will return the user's delivery
preferences.
[0043] 5. The delivery service now requests user presence
information from the user presence service by transmitting a
message getUserPresence( ) to the user presence service.
[0044] 6. In this particular case, the user is currently "off-line"
and a message indicating that is returned to the delivery
service.
[0045] 7. The delivery service then decides to subscribe to user
presence information relating to the user by transmitting a message
subscribeForUserPresence( ) to the user presence service.
[0046] 8. The user then comes "on-line" and therefore updates his
presence by transmitting a message updatePresence ("online") to the
user presence services.
[0047] 9. In response to the user's updated presence, the user
presence service notifies the subscribing delivery service of the
user's updated presence.
[0048] 10. The delivery service now knows that the user is
available and therefore delivers the digital content to the
user.
[0049] FIG. 3 shows the interaction between the elements in the
network of FIG. 1 in accordance with another embodiment of the
invention. With reference to the signaling flow shown in FIG. 3,
the process involving the elements of FIG. 1 is as follows:
[0050] 1. The first end user 150 selects a specific digital content
to be delivered to the second user 160 by requesting the content
service to deliver that specific digital content to the second
user.
[0051] 2. The content service then charges the first end user for
the requested service.
[0052] The sequence 3-12 that follows correspond to the sequence
1-10 in FIG. 2 and will thus not be repeated here. The sequence
diagram shows that digital content finally is delivered to the
second end user 160.
[0053] FIG. 4 shows the interaction between the elements in the
network of FIG. 1 in accordance with yet another embodiment of the
invention. With reference to the signaling flow shown in FIG. 4,
the process involving the elements of FIG. 1 is as follows:
[0054] 1. An end user, e.g. the second user 160 in FIG. 1, requests
the Content Provider Server to deliver some digital content to him
when the content becomes available. For example, a digital content
that perhaps not yet has been produced, such as a future weather
forecast or a not yet released audio or video composition etc.
[0055] 2. The content service waits until the content finally is
available, e.g. due to that it is electronically published.
[0056] 3. When the content is available, the content service
requests the user's profile/preference by transmitting a message
getUserDeliveryPref( ) to the user profile/preference service.
[0057] 4. In response to the profile/preference request, the user
profile/preference service will return the user's delivery
preferences.
[0058] 5. The content service now requests user presence
information from the user presence service by transmitting a
message getUserPresence( ) to the user presence service.
[0059] 6. In this particular case, the user is currently "off-line"
and a message indicating this is returned to the delivery
service.
[0060] 7. The content service then decides to subscribe to user
presence information relating to the user by transmitting a message
subscribeForUserPresenceInfo( ) to the user presence service.
[0061] 8. The user then comes "on-line" and therefore updates his
presence by transmitting a message updatePresence ("online") to the
user presence services.
[0062] 9. In response to the user's updated presence, the user
presence service notifies the subscribing content service of the
user's updated presence.
[0063] 10. The content service now knows that the user is available
and therefore requests the delivery service to deliver the specific
digital content (identified by the parameter Content) to the
specific user (identified by the parameter userId).
[0064] 11. The delivery service delivers the requested content to
the user.
[0065] 12. The delivery service notifies the content service that
the content has been delivered.
[0066] 13. The content service charges the party that requested the
delivery, in this case the user to which the content was delivered,
for the services performed.
[0067] It should be noted that the detailed description above of
different embodiments of the invention has been given by way of
illustration only, and that various alterations and modifications
falling within the scope of the appended claims and within the
spirit and scope of the general teaching set forth herein will
become apparent to those skilled in the art.
* * * * *